Golf club cleaning device

ABSTRACT

THE GOLF CLUB CLEANING DEVICE INCLUDES A LIQUID CLEANER CONTAINER FORMED IN A GOLF CLUB CARRIER FRAME ATTACHABLE TO A GOLF BAG. THE CONTAINER HAS A COVER WITH AN EXPANSIBLE INLET, AND ALSO HAS THEREIN A PAIR OF BRUSH MEMBERS FORMING OVERLAPPING RESILIENT AND ABSORBENT BRUSH SEGMENTS. WITH THE AID OF THE LIQUID CLEANER, ALL ADHERING SUBSTANCES WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE HEAD OF A GOLF CLUB AFTER BEING WIPED BY THE EXPANSIBLE INLET, AND BRUSHED BY THE OVERLAPPING BRUSH SEGMENTS. THE FLEXIBLE AND EXPANSIBLE ARRANGEMENT OF BRUSH SEGMENTS CAN EFFECTIVELY BRUSH AND REACH ALL SURFACES OF A VARIETY OF SIZES AND SHAPES OF DIFFERENT HEADS OF GOLF CLUBS.

Mme 1971 D. G. FINK GOLF CLUB CLEANING DEVICE Filed Dec. 18, 1968 1%? 5 INVENTOR. Dona/a 6". Hall A T FORNEY United States Patent C 3,583,018 GOLF CLUB CLEANING DEVICE Donald G. Fink, 1048 E. Evelyn Ave., Sunnyvale, Calif. 94086 Filed Dec. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 784,864 Int. Cl. B08b 1/00 US. Cl. 15--104.92 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The golf club cleaning device includes a liquid cleaner container formed in a golf club carrier frame attachable to a golf bag. The container has a cover with an expansible inlet, and also has therein a pair of brush members forming overlapping resilient and absorbent brush segments. With the aid of the liquid cleaner, all adhering substances will be removed from the head of a golf club after being wiped by the expansible inlet, and brushed by the overlapping brush segments. The flexible and expansible arrangement of brush segments can eifectively brush and reach all surfaces of a variety of sizes and shapes of different heads of golf clubs.

The present invention relates to a golf club cleaning device, and more particularly relates to a device for cleaning the head of a golf club.

During the play of the game of golf, it is desirable to often clean the head of a golf club. After swinging a golf club in order to hit a golf ball, the head of a golf club may also hit or come in contact with other substances such as dirt, mud, grass or the like which may thereafter cling thereto. These other substances may have erosive chemicals that will adversely affect the golf club if allowed to remain for a long period of time. The weight and balance of the golf club will then also be changed by the adherence of such substances which will affect the control of the swing of the golf club. Furthermore, if the hitting surface of the head of the golf club is clogged with some dirt or bits of grass, then the ball may be deflected thereby when hit. In addition, for esthetic reasons, it is desirable to keep the golf clubs new and clean looking all the time. For these and other reasons, it is desirable to clean the head of a golf club frequently during the play of the game.

As is well known, there are several kinds of golf clubs utilized in the game of golf, such as so-called woods, irons, wedges and putters. Even these several kinds of golf clubs vary in size and shape. Accordingly, it is desired to have a golf club cleaning device that is capable of suitably cleaning these several kinds of golf clubs of the various shapes and sizes involved during the play of the game of golf.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a golf club cleaning device that can be frequently used during the play of the game of golf.

Another object of this invention is to provide a golf club cleaning device that can be attached to a golf bag and conveniently carried while playing golf.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a golf club cleaning device that can be utilized for cleaning the heads of the several kinds of golf clubs and of the various shapes and sizes involved A further object of this invention is to provide a golf club cleaning device that can be conveniently utilized during the play of the game of golf, and can be inexpensively manufactured.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the ac- Patented June 8, 1971 companying drawings in which an embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of this invention showing a carrier frame with a container for cleaning the head of a golf club.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the invention as seen along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the container seen along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged top view of one of the brush members secured within the container of the illustrated embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the cover for the container having an expansible inlet.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the mounting plate seen in the illustrated embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to the figures, an embodiment of the golf club cleaning device of this invention is seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 showing a carrier frame with a container for cleaning the head h of a golf club c. The carrier frame has a pair of identical side members 10 and 11. As seen in FIG. 2, side wall member 11 has an enlarged section 11a at its bottom to form a side wall for a container, and has an overhang 11b at its other end to fit around and to be held by the rim of a golf bag. As seen in FIG. 1, a stiffener 1'2 joins side members 10 and 11 near its upper end, and a shaft mount 13 is connected to side members 10 and 11 below stiffener 12. Shaft mount 13 has two resilient extensions 13a and 13b to receive and hold the shaft s of a golf club. Enlarged section 11a of side member 11, and enlarged section 10a of side member 10 form the two side walls of a container generally designated as 14. A front wall 15a and a back wall 15b are secured to enlarged sections or side walls 10a and 11a. A bottom 16 connects the bottom edges of walls 10a, 11a, 15a and 15b to form a tank or container to hold a cleaning liquid such as a suitable detergent or soap in liquid form. Flat projecting members 18 extend inwardly from the top portions of walls 10a, 11a, 15a and 15b to form a mounting platform for the cover of container 14.

The carrier frame with its formed container 14 may be made of any suitable material of light weight such as polypropylene plastic. The described members thereof may be attached to each other by screws or the like or by any suitable adhesive.

Referring now to FIG. 4, there is seen a brush member 19 formed of resilient absorbent material such as foam rubber or the like in order to hold some of the cleaning liquid 17 in container 14. Brush member 19 is seen to have spaced parallel slits 20 extending partially across brush member 19 dividing it into brush segments 21.

Each of the brush segments 21 is sufliciently firm in order to extend laterally from the side of brush member 19. Accordingly, the length and spacing of the parallel slits are dependent upon the width, thickness, and the resiliency of the material involved. In order to obtain an eifective brush action as hereinafter described, brush segments 21 are flexible so that they can be forced away from their normal unrestrained position, but will 0therwise move to restore themselves to their normal unrestrained position.

The other brush member 22 is identical to brush member 19. Brush member 19 fits within the four walls 10a, '11a, 15a and 15b to rest on projecting members 18 so that its end sections 19a and 19b extend half way across the platform of walls 15a and 15b. The other brush member 22 is oppositely positioned within the four walls and rests on projecting members 18, so that its end sections 22a and 22b extend half way across the platform of walls 15a and 15b to meet the end' sections 19a and 19b of brush member 19.

As seen in FIG. 4, brush segments 21 of brush member '19 are longer than its end sections 19a and 19b. In brush member 22, its brush segments 23 are similarly longer than its end sections 22a and 22b. Accordingly, brush segments 21 will overlap brush segments 23 to form an expansible arrangement of overlying brush segments as seen more clearly in FIG. 3. It will be realized that if the brush segments are not equal in width or are not aligned, that the brush segments will also form an expansible arrangement of overlying brush segments. However, a single brush segment will then lie either over or under more than one oppositely directed brush segment so that the movement of one brush segment will affect the movement of two oppositely directed brush segments. In order to obtain a better brush action, it is preferred that oppositely directed brush segments act substantially independently of the other brush segments. Accordingly, the illustrated preferred embodiment shows the brush segments of each brush member being equal in width and being aligned with each other; opposite brush segments will then either lie over or under each other. This illustrated preferred arrangement of brush segments is particularly effective in acting as an expansible flexible brush since each opposite pair of brush segments acts substantially independently of the other pairs.

Cover 24 of container 14 is shown in FIG. 5. Cover 24 is seen to be a rectangular section from a sheet of resilient material which may also be made of foam rubber. A longitudinal slit 25 extends centrally along a part of the length of cover 24 to provide an expansible inlet to allow the head of a golf club to pass therethrough. Cover 24 fits within the four walls of container 14 and overlies brush members 19 and 22. A mounting plate 26 with a large central opening 27 is seen in FIG. 6. Mounting plate 26 is used to secure cover 24 and brush members 19 and 22 to platform 18 by means of bolts in bolt holes 28.

When assembled as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, container 14 is partially filled with cleaning liquid 17. The head h of a golf club is pressed into expansible inlet 25 to pass therethrough. The sides of the slit in cover 24 will wipe and remove most of the large pieces of foreign substances adhering to the head of the golf club. The head of the golf club then moves past the overlapping brush segments 21 and 23 of brush members 19 and 22 respectively. These flexible overlapping brush segments 21 and 23 will reach and brush all surfaces of head h of the golf club 0 to loosen and remove most of the remaining adhering substances. Because of the flexible and overlapping arrangement, it will be realized that the brush action of brush segments 21 and 23 will reach all surfaces of a variety of sizes and shapes of the heads of golf clubs. In addition, absorbed cleaning liquid will be applied to the head of the golf club during the brushing action to help in this operation. Head h of golf club c is then immersed in cleaning fluid 17 to be soaked for a while to loosen any remaining stubbornly held substances. The shaft s of the golf club is then inserted in resilient extensions 13a and 13b to be held in position. The carrier frame can be attached to a golf bag by overhangs b and 11b so that the head of the golf club is continually soaked in cleaning liquid 17 while the golfer moves to his next position for making his next golf shot. Additional attaching means (not shown) may be provided for the bottom part of the carrier frame, e.g. a strap or belt may be used to attach container 14 to the golf bag. In that event, such attaching means together with overhangs 10b and 11b comprise fastening means to attach the carrier frame to a golf bag.

At the desired time, the golf club carried by the carrier frame is removed. The golf club shaf s is 4 removed from resilient extensions 13a and 13b and the head of the golf club is removed from container 14. Again, head h of the golf club passes through the overlapping flexible brush segments 21 and 23 which now again reach and brush all surfaces of the head of the golf club to remove all the adhering substances on the head of the golf club. Head h of golf club c then passes through the expansible inlet 25 of cover 24 in a thoroughly cleaned condition.

Having herein described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A golf club cleaning device comprising:

a carrier frame including a container with a resilient cover having an expansible inlet to allow the head of a golf club to pass therethrough; and

a pair of flexible, resilient and absorbent brush members secured within the container,

each brush member having self-supporting brush segments, and

said pair of brush members being oppositely positioned with respect to each other with each brush segment of a brush member being positioned in an overlapping relationship with one of the brush segrnents of the other oppositely positioned brush member in order to cause its brush segments to form an expansible arrangement of overlying brush segments, and wherein said cover overlies the brush member.

2. A golf club cleaning device comprising:

a carrier frame including a liquid cleaner container with a resilient cover having an expansible inlet to allow the head of a golf club to pass therethrough; and

a pair of resilient and absorbent brush members secured within the container,

each brush member having spaced parallel slits dividing each member into self-supporting brush segments, and

said pair of brush members being oppositely positioned with respect to each other with each brush segment of a brush member overlapping one of the brush segments of the other brush member in order to form an expansible arrangement of overlying brush segments, and wherein said cover overlies the brush member.

3. A golf club cleaning device comprising:

a carrier frame to hold a golf club;

fastening means to attach the carrier frame to a golf a container connected to the carrier frame and having a flexible cover with a slit centrally extending along a part of its length to provide an expansible inlet to allow the head of a golf club to pass therethrough; and

a pair of flexible, resilient and absorbent brush members secured within the container under said flexible cover,

each brush member having spaced parallel slits dividing each brush member into a plurality of self-supporting brush segments, and

said pair of brush members being oppositely positioned with respect to each other to cause its brush segments to overlap those of the other brush member to form an expansible arrangement of overlying brush segments.

4. The cleaning device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the brush segments of each of the brush members are of equal width, and the brush segments of one brush member are aligned 'with the brush segments of the other brush member so that each opposite pair of brush segments act substantially independently of the other brush segments.

5. The cleaning device in accordance with claim 2 wherein the brush segments of each of the brush members are of equal width, and the brush segments of one brush member are aligned :with the brush segments of the other brush member so that each opposite pair of brush segments act substantially independently of the other brush segments.

6. The cleaning device in accordance with claim 3 wherein the brush segments of each of the brush members are of equal width, and the brush segments of one brush member are aligned with the brush segments of the other brush member so that each opposite pair of brush segments act substantially independently of the other brush segments.

7. A cleaning device for the head of a golf club, comprising:

a container with a resilient cover having an expansible inlet to allow the head of a golf club to pass therethrough; and

a pair of flexible, resilient and absorbent brush members secured within the container,

each brush member having a plurality of brush segments, and

said pair of brush members being oppositely positioned with respect to each other with each brush segment of a brush member overlapping one of the brush segments of the other brush member in order to References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,436,291 2/ 1948 Daniel 1525 7.05 2,744,276 5/ 1956 Chambless 15104.92 3,268,934 8/1966 Postula et al. 1521 (.1) 3,271,802 9/1966 Thompson 15--21(.1) 3,428,988 2/1969 Blackburn 15--104.92X

WALTER A. SCHEEL, Primary Examiner A. I. CANTOR, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

l5ll7, 160, 188; 401-422 

